A Kumasi Circuit Court has sentenced the first suspect in the Bantama gang rape case to seven years in prison with hard labour.

In December last year, five teenage boys were arrested after they were captured in a video sexually harassing a young girl.

The video sparked outrage as the abusers restrained the victim from escaping despite her fierce resistance.

The presiding Judge, Her Worship Comfort Tasieme on Wednesday handed one of the suspects Ernest Asare a seven year jail term after it was established that he was 20-years-old.

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The four other suspects have been referred to a District court for sentencing.

Counsel for the convicts, Yahaya Seidu, stated moments after the judgment that the accused persons were convicted for defilement, conspiracy to commit crime and abetment.

“Our clients were found guilty on all the charges proffered against them. One of our clients has been established by the court to be 20 years but the remaining four are juveniles. Because per the law, a court of summary jurisdiction cannot convict a juvenile, the four have been referred to a juvenile court for sentencing,” said Mr. Seidu.